Door structure

ABSTRACT

There is provided an improved door structure of the type having a frame supporting a panel of glass or other suitable material and characterized by very narrow stiles. The stiles each have relatively heavy face portions connected by a transverse web and defining confronting shallow and deep glazing pockets. Spaced upper and lower rail assemblies interconnect the stiles, and are each provided with longitudinally extending screw splines. The ends of the upper and lower rail assemblies are coped so that the screw splines fit within the confronting glazing pockets and seat against the respective webs.

United States Patent [191 Biebuyck DOOR STRUCTURE Lawrence F. Biebuyck,Niles, Mich.

American Metal Climax, Inc., New York, N.Y.

Filed: Dec. 1, 1971 Appl. No.: 203,814

Related US. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 59,981, July 31,1970, abandoned.

Inventor:

Assignee:

US. Cl. 49/501, 287/l89.36 Int. Cl. E06b 3/00 Field of Search 49/501;52/627, 624;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1953 Brownlie et al 287/l89.36H X l2/l959 Sharp et al 52/627 X [451 Dec. 25, 1973 Peremi 287/l89.36 HGillespie 287/l89.36 H X 2/l96l 2/l963 Primary Examiner-Kenneth DowneyAtrorney-Mason, Kolehmainen, Rathburn & Wyss 57 ABSTRACT 3 Claims, 8Drawing Figures Mullah minim DOOR. STRUCTURE This application is acontinuation "US. Pat. application Ser. No. 59,981 filed July "31,1970,now abandoned.

The present inventionrelates to a newandimproved door structure, andparticularly a stileshas structure of connected by type having extrudedframe members supporting a panel such as of :glass, and characterized byvery narrow stiles. glazing Heretofore difficulty has been experiencedin obtaining door constructionhaving a maximumglass or panel size andcharacterized by'havinga minimum width of stile members. Some'of thedifficulty arises from therequirement that in order to glaze a doorafterassembly of the door frame, itis necessaryfor a shallowand deep glazingpocket ztorconfront :eachot her in order totprovide for'ins tallationclearance of the glass. Moreover it is necessary that the door frame:members :have sufficient strength to withstand the loads imposedthereon.

The door frames may be particularly critical with regard to the strengthof the jointsbetween thestiles and uppcr'and lower rail members.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention 'to provide anewand improved door structure.

Another object of the present invention-is to provide a new and improveddoor structure having relatively narrow stiles.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a newand improved door structure having improved strength.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent as the followingdescription proceeds and the features ofnovelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out withparticularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of thisspecification.

In accordance with these and other objects, there is provided animproved door structure of the type having a frame supporting a panelsuch as of glass, and characterized by very narrow stiles. Each of thestileshas face portions connectedby a transverse web anddefiningconfronting shallow and deep glazing pockets. Upper and lower railassemblies interconnect the stiles and are provided with coped endshaving screw splines fitting into the confronting glasingpocketsFastener means extend through the transverse webs into the screwsplines to secure the rail assemblies and stiles together. Suitablestile caps cover the exposed fastener heads in the webs.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may behad to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. I is an elevational view'of a door according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational sectional view of the door of FIG.1, taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan sectional view of the door of FIG. 1, takenalong line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective exploded view of the door of FIG. 1,illustrating the connection of the lock stile to the horizontal rails.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective exploded view of the door of FIG. 1,illustrating the connection of the pivot stile to the horizontal rails;

'FIGJ is a fragmentary cross sectional'plan view of a door according tothe present invention and illustrating the securement of anoffset'pivot'to the door.

"FIG. 7:is a fragmentary elevational sectional view of the door of FIG.6, takenalong line '77'ofFIG..6; and

FlG.8-is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of I the door of FIG.6, illustrating the attachment of the lower pivot to the door.

terconnected by upper and lower rail assemblies 15 and .16. The stilemembersand rail assemblies define a door framesupporting a panel 18 ofglass or other suitable material. In the illustrated embodiments thestile member 12 may be referred to as the lock stile, while the stilemember l3 may be referred to as the pivot stile.

Referring first to the lock stile member 12, it is formed by an extrudedelement, such as of aluminum, and provided with relatively heavy faceportions 12a, 12b interconnected by a transverse web 12c. The faceportions and web, 12a, 12b, 12c, together define a shallow glazingpocket 12d and an opposed edge channel 12c. The confronting edges of theglazing pocket 12d includes parts defining gasket channels 12f forretaining suitable glazing gaskets 19. In the illustrated embodiment,the edge channel 12e is of somewhat T shape, having undercut portions123. In addition the edge channel 12e has confronting grooves 12h forslidably receiving a stile cap 20.

The pivot stile member 13 is similar to the lock stile member 12, havingthe same narrow width, and includes relatively heavy face portions 13a,13b interconnected by a transverse web 130. The face portions and web13a, 13b, 13c together define a deep glazing pocket 13d, and an edgechannel 13a. The confronting edges of the glazing pocket 1341 areprovided with gasket channels 13f supporting suitable glazing gaskets19. Moreover the confronting edges of the edge channel 13:? are providedwith confronting grooves 13h slidably receiving a pivot stile cap 21. Ifdesired studs 23 of nylon or other suitable material may be threadedthrough the web 13c against the glazing 18 to prevent creeping of theglazing into the deep glazing pocket.

It will be appreciated that the lock stile member 12 is formed with theshallow glazing pocket 12d, and has a relatively deep edge channel 12c,while the pivot stile member 13 is formed with a deep glazing pocket 13dand has a shallow edge channel 12e, thus permitting maximum utilizationof material and minimum width to the stile members.

The upper rail assembly 15 is formed of a rail member 25 and a facemember 26, both of extruded aluminum or other suitable material, andeach having parts interfitting to lock the face member 26 to the railmember 25. More specifically, and as best illustrated in FIG. 2, therail member 25 includes a generally tubular center portion havingtransverse webs 25a, 25b, an outer face portion 250, and an inner web25d. Formed integrally with the inner web is a toe portion 252 and hookportion 25f forming parts interlocking with corresponding parts of theface member. Screw splines 25g are formed with the transverse webs 25aand 25b defining relatively heavy metal portions at the centers of thewebs. The face member 26 includes a toe portion 26a and a hook portion26b for camming and interlocking relation with the respective toe andhook portions 25e, 25f of the rail member 25. When assembled the upperrail assembly 15 defines a glazing pocket 27 and an upper open pocket 28for receiving door closures, operators and the like.

The lower rail assembly 16 is similar to the upper rail assembly 15, butmay differ primarily dimensionally. More specifically the lower railmember 16 includes a rail member 30, FIG. 2, having a generally tubularcenter portion formed of transverse webs 30a, 30b, a face portion 300,and an inner web 30d. A toe portion 30e and a hook portion 30f areprovided along the inner web 25d for interlocking relationship with aface member 31. Suitable screw splines 30g are provided generallycentrally of the rail assembly 16 and define relatively heavy centralportions to the transverse webs 30a, 30b. The face member 31 alsoincludes a toe portion 31a and a hook portion 31b for interlockingrelationship with the toe and hook portions, 30e, 30f of the rail member30. The lower rail assembly 16 also defines a glazing pocket 32 at itsupper end, and a downwardly opening pocket 33 at its lower end.

The joint or corner connection of the stile members and rail assembliesare best illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. Referring first to the lock stileend of FIG. 4, the end of the rail assemblies 15 and 16 are coped backso that only the relatively heavy portions of the transverse websdefined by the screw splines project in tongue-like manner and areclosely fit and confined within the glazing pocket 12d of the lock stilemember 12. Suitable screw fasteners, such as screws 35, are driven intothe respective screw splines 25g, 30g through apertures 36 in the stilemember 12. The stile cap 20 covers the exposed heads of the screws 35.

The connection between the rail assemblies 15 and 16 to the pivot stilemember 13 is similar, with the lock ends of the upper and lower railassemblies 15 and 16 being coped back so that the material in the areaof the screw splines 25g, 30g projects in tongue-like manner into thedeep glazing pocket 13d of the pivot stile member 13. Suitable screwfasteners, such as screws 37, are secured within the screw splines 25g,30g through apertures 38 in the transverse web 13c of the pivot stilemember 13. The stile cap 21 covers the exposed heads of the fasteners37.

Advantageously the projecting tongue-like portions of the upper andlower rail assemblies being closely fit within the respective glazingchannels and carry the torsion load directly between the rail assemblies15 and 16 and the stile members 12 and 13, so that the fasteners 35 and37 carry only tensile loads which they are designed to do. Moreover itwill be appreciated that the particular arrangement of deep and shallowglazing pockets, and deep and shallow edge channels in the stile members12 and 13 there is provided maximum utilization of material along with aminimum width of door stile.

The embodiment of FIGS. 1 through is illustrated for a center hung,double acting door. To this end there is provided a pivot fitting 42 inthe lower pocket 33 of the lower rail assembly 16 for receiving a pivotpin, the inner web 25d being cut away to accommodate the pin. Moreover asuitable upper pivot, somewhat diagramatically illustrated in FIG. 1 as43, is readily accommodated within the upper pocket 28 of the upper railassembly 15.

FIGS. 6 through 8 illustrate one other form of supporting a door 50 bymeans of an offset pivot. The members forming the door 50 are similar tothose heretofore described, however since the door 50 is a single actingdoor the outer contour of the stile members is changed in accordancewith the desired door function. Accordingly the lock stile member of thedoor 50 is represented by 12, and the pivot stile member of pivot door50 is represented by 13'. Similar components of the door 50 with thedoor 10 heretofore described are represented by the same referencecharacters.

As illustrated there is provided an upper pivot fitting 52 and a lowerpivot fitting 53. Each of the pivots 52, 53 are provided with tongueportions 52a, 53a and the face portions 13'a, l3b of the pivot stilemember 13' are cut away along their inner edges to receive the tongueportions 520 and 53a without cutting into the transverse web 13c.Suitable threaded fasteners 55 are threaded directly into the relativelyheavy face portions 13a, l3b through suitable apertures 52b, 53b of therespective pivot fittings 52,53.

A door structure in accordance with the described invention provides formaximum utilization of the stile material so that a door with minimumwidth stiles is provided. Advantageously the door provides pleasinglines and appearance for the architect. Moreover the corner joint of thedoor frame is strong and sturdy, accomplishing transfer of torsionalloads between the members without the addition of shear blocks and thelike.

Although the present invention has been described by reference toseveral embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that numerous othermodifications and embodiments intended by the appended claims to coverall modifications and embodiments which will fall within the true spiritand scope of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. A door structure of the type having a frame supporting a panel suchas of glass and characterized by very narrow stiles, said doorstructures comprising:

spaced vertical door stiles, each having relatively heavy face portionsconnected by a transverse web defining confronting shallow and deepglazing pockets;

spaced upper and lower rail assemblies interconnecting said stilesz:

at least one of said rail assemblies including:

a rail member having a generally tubular center portion having partsthereon defining longitudinally extending screw splines and a faceportion, and

a face member defining a glass stop and forming a glazing pocket withits face portion;

said rail member and said face member having interlocking parts;

the ends of said rail assemblies being coped with the ends of the screwsplines fitted within the confronting shallow and deep glazing pocketsof the door stiles and against the webs thereof, and

fastener means extending through the transverse webs into said screwsplines securing said rail assemblies and said vertical stiles together.

2. A door structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein channels are definedin the outer edges of said door 6 glazing pocket is defined in the pivotstile, and wherein the channel in said lock stile is deeper than thechannel in said pivot stile, whereby said lock stile is adapted toreceive door hardware associated with said stile.

1. A door structure of the type having a frame supporting a panel suchas of glass and characterized by very narrow stiles, said doorstructures comprising: spaced vertical door stiles, each havingrelatively heavy face portions connected by a transverse web definingconfronting shallow and deep glazing pockets; spaced upper and lowerrail assemblies interconnecting said stiles:: at least one of said railassemblies including: a rail member having a generally tubular centerportion having parts thereon defining longitudinally extending screwsplines and a face portion, and a face member defining a glass stop andforming a glazing pocket with its face portion; said rail member andsaid face member having interlocking parts; the ends of said railassemblies being coped with the ends of the screw splines fitted withinthe confronting shallow and deep glazing pockets of the door stiles andagainst the webs thereof, and fastener means extending through thetransverse webs into said screw splines securing said rail assembliesand said vertical stiles together.
 2. A door structure as set forth inclaim 1 wherein channels are defined in the outer edges of said doorstiles for receiving stile caps covering said screw fasteners.
 3. A doorstructure as set forth in claim 2 wherein said door stiles define lockand pivot stiles respectively, each having the same width, and whereinthe shallow glazing pocket is defined in said lock stile and the deepglazing pocket is defined in the pivot stile, and wherein the channel insaid lock stile is deeper than the channel in said pivot stile, wherebysaid lock stile is adapted to receive door hardware associated with saidstile.